International pressure on Trump grows so he doesn't recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

The international community fears that the peace process between Israel and Palestine will be damaged and Turkey has announced a possible diplomatic rupture with the Hebrew country in case Donald Trump moves the embassy to Jerusalem

05 Aralık 2017 Salı 02:30 - 29 reads.

The possible transfer of US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has aroused numerous international reactions. While President of United States, Donald Trump, is expected to decide on possible change of seat of agency, international community warns that decision, which implies recognizing Jerusalem as capital of Hebrew state, would open a True Pandora's Box as long as Israelis and Palestinians do not reach a lasting peace agreement. According to Reuters agency, official sources anticipate Trump Tanje issue — one of promises of his election campaign — this Wednesday.

At midnight this Monday, deadline was set to postpone decision, approved by Congress in 1995. From this date, presidents of American country have postponed decision every six months "for reasons of national security". The current president, Donald Trump, had done same in May but this Monday, he exhausted deadline to sign exemption to normal. That is, he left door open to US Embassy's transfer to Jerusalem.

The change of diplomatic headquarters could have counterproductive effects on security of troops and American citizens seated in Islamic countries, Pentagon and State Department warned this Monday. As long as Israelis and Palestinians do not reach an agreement on final status of Jerusalem, foreign legations before Jewish state have opted to be headquartered in Tel Aviv. At moment, both Israelis and Palestinians regard Millenary city as its capital. If Trump decides to move American embassy to Jerusalem, he would go in opposite direction to international consensus.

International reactions

The last reaction has come from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this Tuesday. He warned that eventual recognition of Jerusalem as capital could lead to a breakdown of relations between his country and Israel, to which Israeli Foreign Ministry has responded that Jerusalem is its capital I accept it or not Erdogan.

On Monday, Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which brings toger Muslim countries, approved a communiqué warning US that it should not move its embassy because it would recognize this city as capital of Israeli state and ignore Military occupation of East Jerusalem, Palestinian territory. In communiqué, organization points out that transfer would be "blatant aggression not only against Arab and Islamic community, but also against rights of Muslims and Christians alike and against national rights of Palestinians."

Saudi Arabia has also warned that any US announcement of status of Jerusalem before an agreement between Israelis and Palestinians will damage peace process, thus increasing tensions in region. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on Sunday for his foreign minister, Riyadh al-Malki, to meet urgently with Arab League and OIC to discuss situation in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, according to Agence France Press, Hamas Islamist movement, which controls Gaza Strip, threatened a new "intifada" and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), through its representative Husam Zomot, stated that recognizing Jerusalem as capital of Israel would be tantamount to "kiss of Death" for two-state solution.

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has expressed his "concern" Trump for status of Jerusalem, through a communiqué released by Elysée Palace. During a telephone conversation this Monday with leader of American country, he recalled that " question of status of Jerusalem should be regulated within framework of peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, especially aspiring to creation of two "states that live toger in peace and security with Jerusalem as capital."

According to Reuters, official American sources have indicated that Trump is expected to recognize Jerusalem as capital of Israel during a speech that will be given this Wednesday. The White House spokesman, Hogan Gidley, has stressed that " president has been clear about this issue from outset." "It is not a question of wher it is done, but of when," he stressed.